Method of needle punching fabrics so as to interlace the fibers thereof



May 21, 1963 A. M. SMITH n 3,090,099

METHOD OF NEEDLE PUNCHING FABRICS so AS TO INTERLACE THE FIBERS THEREOF Filed May 13, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 21, 1963 A. M. SMITH II 3,090,099

METHOD OF NEEDLE PUNCHING FABRICS SO AS TO INTERLACE THE FIBERS THEREOF Filed May 13, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4M7. MW, W W.

m m m m May 21, 1963 Filed May 13. 1960 A. M. SMITH ll METHOD OF NEEDLE PUNCHING FABRICS 50 AS TO INTERLACE THE FIBERS THEREOF 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mag/1 42A 3,090,099 METHOD 9F NEEDLE PUNCHiNG FABRICS S AS TO INTERLAE THE FIBERS THEREOF Alexander M. Smith IE, Elkin, N.C., assignor to Chatham Manufacturing Company, Eiltin, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed May 13, 1969, Ser. No. 29,115 18 Claims. (Cl. 28-722) The present invention relates to an improved method for making a new and improved needled or nonwoven fabric material and an improved apparatus for accord piishing the method. More particularly, the invention contemplates an improved method of interlacing and/or interlooping fibers in a loosely matted material and an improved needle punch machine for carrying out the interlacing and/or interlooping of fibers according to the improved method to produce the new and improved needled or nonwoven fabric structure.

Non-woven unbonded fabric structures deriving coherence and strength from inner fiber entanglement and accompanying frictional forces are commonly known as felt, and such material has been heretofore made by mechanical working of wool or wool-like materials and some cases by a process known as needle punching wherein loosely matted fibers are rearranged and entangled by barbed or hooked needles passing thcrethrough. The ad vent of synthetic fibers in recent years has resulted in increased use of needle punching in the manufacture of non-woven, felt-like products. The present invention is intended for use in producing non-woven fabrics from either natural fibers or synthetic fibers or a blend of natural and synthetic fibers, the produced non-woven fabrics being especially desirable for use in blankets or outerwear fabrics and the litre. Also, the present invention may be used in producing a non-woven fabric from two or more webs of loosely matted fibers having a scrim of woven, non-woven, or bonded fabric being interposed between the webs or batts of loosely matted fibers.

Conventional methods and machines now in use for felting have not proved entirely satisfactory in tightly interlacing and/or interlooping fibers as the punching needles have not been arranged to coordinate with each other in such a manner as to provide an interlacing and/ or interlooping of fibers from both surfaces of the web or webs being treated. Further, conventional machines have required passing the material to be treated through the machines more than one time in order to obtain adequate entanglement of fibers. In some cases, the machines have been rather heavy and cumbersome and slow moving in order to obtain necessary entanglement of loosely matted fibers fed thereto and the resulting product has been lacking in strength and density. Further, the products heretofore made by needle punching are subject to elongation because of the lack of proper interlacing and/or interlooping. Because of the lack of coherence, uniform napping properties of both surfaces of the resulting prodnot could not be obtained and such products lost much of their strength upon a subsequent napping operation such as when blankets or the like were made from the product.

Throughout the specification wherever the term interlacing" is used, it is to define a binding together of fibers from one outside surface of a web to the other outside surface of the web. interlacing of fibers is somewhat sirnilar to sewing machine action although it does not depend on a continuous threaded action. On the other hand, the term interlooping" as used throughout the specification is intended to mean a binding of fibers through loops of other fibers below the surface of the web. Inter- 3,090,099 Patented May 21, 1963 looping is akin to knitting as it provides entanglement of fibers by loop engagement; however, it is confined to the subsurface interior of the web as distinguished from interlacing wherein fibers from one surface are carried to the opposite surface and intermingled with fibers from that surface in the course of being returned toward the original surfacer Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved needled or non-woven fabric structure from an improved method of needling or punching a web or batt of a loosely matted fiber which will result in fabricating fibers by tightly interlacing and/or interlooping, giving the resulting fabric structure more strength, coherence, density, uniform napping properties, and less elongation in use.

Ancillary to the preceding object. it is a further obiect of the present invention to provide an improved type of needle punching apparatus for interlacing and/or interlocping the loosely matted fibers in a web or batt to produce an improved ncedled or non-woven material.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of needling loosely matted fibers to tightly interlace and interloop the same so that there is less loss of strength when the resulting product is napped.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus which will tightly interlace loosely matted fibers in a web upon one pass of the web through the apparatus, the resulting product having extremely high separation strength.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for needling a loosely matted material, the apparatus being capable of compressing the material as well as tightly interlacing and/ or interlooping the fibers in the material.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus which will provide an extremely high number of punches or penetrations of the material in a square inch upon passage of the material through the machine once.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus wherein the interlacing and/or interlooping of fibers may be controlled by coordinating the advancement of the web through the machine with alternate penetration of needle patterns from each side of the web to be punched.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for needling material to produce a needled or non-woven fabric having uniform and substantially identical characteristics on both surfaces or faces. This is an important consideration when the product is subjected to subsequent finishing operntions, particularly napping.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully in the following specification, claims and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elcvational view of an improved apparatus for accomplishing the improved novel method of producing a non-woven fabric material;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view looking from the right of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view partly in elevation and taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a web guide plate taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 and illustrating the pattern of needles for accomplishing the high number of penetrations per square inch of material treated;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 and showing a typical barbed needle;

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate progressive steps of inter- 3 lacing fibers as the web of material passes through the apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is a view illustrating interlacing combined with interlooping Within the interior of the web, the view showing for purpose of illustration only, needles penetrating from opposite sides of the web at the same time; and

FIGURE 9 is a schematic view of the needle path through the material resulting from cordination between needle movement and advancement of the material according to the method of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like character and reference numerals represent like or similar parts, and in particular to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that a web or batt of loosely matted fibers generally designated at 10 is moving from the left to the right of the figure through the needle punch machine generally designated at 12. Passing from the machine 12 at the right hand side of the figure is a needled or non-woven fabric material shown in broken lines and designated by the numeral 14. It will be understood that the web or batt of fibrous material may be continuously fed from a conventional carding machine (not shown) where the fibers are combed and loosely formed into the web or it may be supplied from rolls of such material after the material has been taken from a carding machine and formed in a roll. If desirable and depending upon the type of end product to be made, the web shown as 10 in FIGURE 1 may be formed from two or more layers of loosely matted fibers 16 and 18 separated by a scrim which is usually loosely woven fabric 20, as best shown in FIGURES 6 to 8 inclusively.

In order to accomplish the novel method of the present invention resulting in the interlacing and/ or interlooping of the fibers in the web 10, the web is advanced in intermittent step-by-step motion between opposed patterns of needles generally designated at 22 and 24 (FIGURE 3). The needle patterns 22 and 24 are arranged to travel in a path perpendicular to the direction of travel of the web to the surfaces of the web and the motion of the needle patterns is coordinated with the step-by-step motion of the web a will be explained in more detail. Needle patterns 22 and 24 are made up of an array of downwardly extending needles 26 and an array of upwardly extending needles 28. The paths of travel of the needle patterns 22 and 24 are substantially mirror-image paths of each other and are, thus, substantially identical but reversed of each other. One way of providing mirrorimage paths for the patterns of needles is by arranging the needles 26 of needle pattern 22 to travel point-on-point with the needles 28 of the needle pattern 24. The needle patterns 22 and 24 are arranged to alternately penetrate the web 10 while the web is traveling through a confined throat 30 defined by a pair of spaced apart Web guide plates 32 and 34. The guide plates 32 and 34 are provided with curved inlet portions 36 and 38 respectively, which define a gradually decreasing infeed portion 40 for the throat 30. The infeed portion 40 of the throat tapers down to a thickness to which the web is compressed by the needling, this thickness being substantially the thickness of the finished non-woven product produced by the needle punching machine 12. The needles 26 and 28 are each provided with a plurality of barbs 42 on their surface for engaging the fibers as they penetrate the web.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 to 9 inclusive, it will be assumed that the web 10 is moving through the throat 30 between the guide plates 32 and 34 in the direction of the arrow A in step-by-step motion. The step-by-step motion of the web 10 is coordinated with the movement of the needles 26 and 28 so that either set of the needles initially penetrate the surface of the web when the web is making its step motion. This causes the fibers adjacent the surfaces of the web to be caught by the needle points and moved in a substantially horizontal direction for a short distance. Then the web stops and the needles of the particular pattern 22 or 24 which is penetrating, continue the perpendicular movement through the web, the barbs 42 of needles carrying with them some of the fibers near the surface of the web which have been oricnted horizontally well as other unorientcd fibers picked up near the surface during the course of needle movement through the web. When the needles of a particular pattern 22 or 24 such as the needles 26 as shown in FIGURE 6 have passed completely through the web with their lowermost barb 42 positioned adjacent a surface of the web or extending out of the web no greater than one-half inch, the needles 26 are then withdrawn from the web and while the web is still stationary.

When the needles 26 have been withdrawn from the web and just as penetration by the opposed array of needles 28 begins, the web makes another increment of movement in the direction of the arrow A. Since the needles 28 enter the web at the point where the respective aligned needles 26 projected through thte web, some of the loop fibers previously brought through by the needles 26 are picked up near the surface of penetration by the needles 28 and are carried along horizontally with other surface fibers. The web 10 then steps but penetration of the needles 28 continues through the web until the barbs closest to the needle points are adjacent to or extend no greater than onehalf of an inch past the other surface of the web. Then the needles 28 are withdrawn while the web is stationary and once they are withdrawn the abovedescribed operation is repeated. It will be understood that the needle patterns 22 and 24 reciprocate into and out of the web, the arrangement being such that there is alternate penetration of the Web from opposite sides by the needle patterns 22 and 24 with two increments of advancement in each cycle.

Referring now to FIGURE 9, which schematically shows the path of the needles 26 and 28 through the web, the lettter B represents the path of the reciprocating needles 28 through the web when the web is moved in step-bystep increments, the movement of the web being indicated just after the needles 28 begin their penetration. As shown in the lower portion of FIGURE 9, the path B is somewhat horizontal as the needles 28 start into the web but once the web is stopped and the needles 28 continue their travel through the web, the path is vertical. Likewise, the needles 26 penetrating the top side of the web 10 have a path through the same as represented by the letter C. Their path is similar to the path of the needles 28 in that adjacent the upper surface and when the needles 26 first enter the web, the fibers adjacent the surface are dragged in a substantially horizontal direction as the web is moving perpendicular to the vertical movement of the needles. Once the web is stopped and with the needles 26 continuing their downward movement, some of the fibers moved horizontally are then moved vertically as well as other fibers which are picked up as the needles descend through the web. FIGURE 9 which represents a pair of point-on-point needles 26 and 28 clearly illustrates that the point of penetration on surface of the web of one needle is at the point which the oppositely disposed aligned needle extended out of the web on the previous penetration stroke. This arrangement results in some of the surface and subsurface fibers of the web being oriented toward the opposite surface and then entangled with some of these surface fibers and oriented parallel to this surface and back toward the firstmentioned surface of the web.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, the pattern 22 of needles 26 is shown, it being understood that the pattern 24 of the needles 28 is an identical mirror image of pattern 22 as the needles of one pattern are in alignment point-onpoint with the needles of the other pattern. The needles 26 are arranged in a plurality of rows extending transverse of the direction of travel of the Web 10. The rows are staggered so that more needles may be punching the web transversely of the same in each widthwise inch. In

other words, because the size of the needles will not permit the needles to be placed in close enough spaced relationship widthwise of the web, rows of needles are provided with the rows being staggered so as to provide a high number of needles punching the web for every widthwise inch of the web.

It has been found that to obtain a needled or non woven fabric having the desired strength characteristics and density, the web must be punched at least LOGS times/sq. inch of area as it passes through the throat 30. Preferably, it is desirable to punch the fabric more than 1,060 times/sq. inch to obtain a better interlacing effect. Further, in accomplishing a high number of punches/sq. inch, it is preferable to approximately balonce the number of widthwise punches per inch of the web with the number of punches each needle makes per linear inch of the web. For example, if the rows of needles of the upper needle pattern 22 are so staggered that for one widthwise inch of the web, there are 40 punches and the web is cdvanced one-twentieth of an inch between each successive penetration of the patterns 22 and 24, movement of the web entirely through the pattern will result in 800 punches/sq. inch by the top pattern 22. Likewise, the lower pattern 24 will have 800 punches/sq. inch for one pass of the web through the machines, thus, resulting in a total 1,600 punches/sq. inch. By arranging the needles in staggered rows spaced linearly with respect to the web It) and extending widthwise of the same, it will be understood that complete interlacing of fibers is accomplished by the time the web has passed completely through the throat 3G. This may be seen by referring to FIGURES 6 and 7. In FIGURE 6, it is assumed that the needle 26 is one of the first needles to penetrate the web as the web is moving from left to right. In FIGURE 7 assuming that the needle 28 is oppositely disposed to and on point with the needle 26 in FIGURE 6, it will be noted that the web has moved a small increment of distance as determined above and that other fibers will have been picked up and oriented in the manner described. As the web 10 continues to pass through the throat 30 and as it approaches the other end of the throat, interlacing by point-on-point needles 26 and 28 is repeated in much the same manner as a sewing machine operation in that the fibers are interlaced back and forth between the surfaces of the web. While FIGURES 6 and 7 show only one pair of aligned point-on-point needles 26 and 28, it must be realized that such an operation as described above is being accomplished by each pair of point-on-point needles 26 and 23 with no pair penetrating the same holes as another pair.

To accomplish effective interlacing by the above described method, it has been found that each needle pattern 22 and 24 must have an array of needles which will provide a range of needle punches per widthwise inch of the web 1(3 of about 25 to about 50. Thus, in effect, there will be 25 to 50 paths of punches as the web is advancing through the needle patterns 22 and 24. With the above range of widthwise punches, it has been found that each needle of each pair of point-on-point needles should penetrate the web 10 in a range of 6 to penetrations per linear inch of web. This is accomplished by moving the web in step-by-step increments of onesixth to one-thirtieth of an inch for each successive penetration of a needle pattern.

Barb penetration, which is the distance of penetration through the web of the barb closest to the point of the needle, has been accomplished in a range from the surface of the web opposite the surface of penetration to a point where the aforesaid barb extends one-half of an inch from the surface. A range of barb penetration for maximum interlacing has been found to be three-sixteenths of an inch or greater whereas it has been found that maximum interlooping plus some interlacing is obtained in a range from the surface of the web to oneeighth of an inch below the surface.

Inter-lacing gives the resulting non-woven fabric good tensile and separation. Also, interlacing provides good compactness and density to the produced fabric. However, non'woven fabric made entirely by interlacing of the fibers is not entirely satisfactory when the fabric must be submitted to a subsequent napping operation on its surfaces. Such an operation breaks down or destroys the interlacing structure and reduces the strength of the fabric. Where napping is required, it has been found desirable to have some interlooping of the subsurface fibers of the web so that the strength of the fabric is not adversely reduced by napping. The proportion of interlooping has been found to increase with a larger number of penetrations per lineal inch of web in the range mentioned above as well as at the lower end of the barb penetration range i.e. where the barb nearest the needle point extends just to the surface or slightly through the surface. Where there is maximum barb penetration and approximately 10 punches per lineal inch of web, the fibers are interlaced with little or no interlooping. On the other hand, where there is minimum barb penetration and for example 30 punches per lineal inch of web, the fibers are interlaced and interlooped.

FlGURE 8 of the drawings illustrates schematically the web 10 having fibers which are both interlaced and interlooped. Such entanglement of fibers results in a non-woven fabric having a strength and compactness associated with woven fabrics. The fabric can be trapped so that it obtains a surface softness which makes it highly desirable for use in blankets and outerwear.

Referring back to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, the improved needle punching apparatus 12 for accomplishing the above-described method is best illustrated. The needle punching apparatus 12 includes a frame structure 44 made from suitable vertical standards 46, side frame members 48 and cross members 50. Mounted on the upper side frame members 48 on each side of the frame structure 44 are a pair of spaced parallel vertical plates 52 which are adapted to support therebetween the guide plates 32 and 34- respectively. In more detail, the plates 52 are pro vided with slots 54 extending vertically downwardly from their upper edge, the slots 54 being adapted to receive studs 56 of bracket members 58 which are fixedly secured to the upper surface of the upper plate 32. The lower plate 34 is supported by L-shaped brackets 60 welded to the side plates 52 and to the bottom of the guide plate 34. As is now evident, the upper plate 32 may be adiusted relative the lower plate 34 by supporting the studs 56 at a desired height in the slots 54.

Side plates 52 are provided with the horizontally extending slots 62 and 64. Slots 62 of side plates 52 are adapted to receive ends of a shaft 66 which supports one pulley 68 of an endless conveyor structure 70. The portion of the shaft 66 which extends outwardly of the plate 52 shown in FIGURE 1 is provided with a drive sprocket 72.

Slots 64 in plates 52 are adapted to receive the ends of a shaft 74 which supports an outfeed roller 76. Carried outwardly of the plates 52 on the end of the shaft 74 is a drive sprocket 78 (FIGURE 1). The other end of the shaft 74 is coupled to a one-way clutch and brake assembly 89 (FIGURE 2). A drive chain 82 extending around the sprockets 72 and 78 and an idler sprocket 84 cause the pulley 62 to be rotated in step-by-step increments when the shaft 74 is rotated in step-by-step increments by the one-way clutch and brake assembly 80.

Cooperating with the outfeed roller 76 is a weighted roller 86 carried on the shaft 88 supported in diametrically opposed slots 90 provided in plates 52. The shaft 83 is provided on its outer ends with weights 92 so that the roller 86 will bear against the upper surface of the non-woven fabric 14 as it is discharged from the machine.

Mounted on the drive member of the one-way clutch is a crank arm 94. A connecting arm 96 (FIGURE 1) connects the crank 94 with a disk or wheel 98 keyed to a shaft 100 rotatably supported in the bearing pillows 102. Shaft 100 carries a drive wheel 104 which is rotated by a belt 106 coupled to a source of power such as an electric motor 108. As will now be understood, continuous rotation of the shaft 100 by the motor 108 will cause the crank 94 to oscillate back and forth. Since the crank 94 is connected to the drive member of the one-way clutch and brake assembly 80, clockwise movement of the crank will cause rotation of the outfeed roller 76 as well as the infeed conveyor 70. During counterclockwise movement of the crank 94, the roller 76 and the conveyor 70 will be stationary and consequently, there will be no feed of the web 10 through and out of the machine.

As previously stated, the upper needle pattern 22 includes a plurality of downwardly extending needles 26 whereas the lower needle pattern 24 includes a plurality of upwardly extending needles 28. The needles 26 and 28 are arranged to pass through aligned holes 110 provided in the upper and lower web guide plates 32 and 34 respectively. The needles 26 are secured in a needle board or holder 112 fixedly secured to a reciprocating plate 114 by bolts, clamps or other suitable means. The reciprocating plate 114 is adjustably mounted on a pair of reciprocating rods 118 carried in vertical sleeves or slide bearings 120 supported on the upper side frame members 48. The lower set of needles 28 are suitably supported in a needle board or holder 122 fixedly supported on a reciprocating plate 124. Plate 124 is adjustably supported on the reciprocating rods 118 in spaced relationship beneath the upper needle board 112 and plate 114. As shown in FIGURE 3, the rods 118 are threaded and by adjustment of nuts 126, the lower plate 124 and upper plate 114 can be adjusted vertically with respect to each other so that the distance between the points of the needles 26 and 28 respectively can be varied.

Each lower end of the reciprocating rods 118 is pivotally connected as indicated at to connecting rods 132. The other end of each of the connecting rods 132 is connected to cranks 134 mounted on the ends of a shaft 136 rotatably supported in the bearing pillow blocks 140. A sprocket 142 carried on the shaft 136 is driven by a chain 146 also trained around a sprocket 148 carried on the drive shaft 100. As is novfapparent by an inspection of FIGURES 1 and 2, rotation of the drive shaft 100 by the motor 108 will cause rotation of the cranks 134 so that the connecting arms 132 reciprocate the rods 118 to simultaneously move both needle patterns 22 and 24 in a path normal to the path of travel of the web 10 through the machine. The reciprocation of the needle patterns 22 and 24 is so timed with the intermittent feed of the web 10 that the needles of each of the patterns will penetrate the web when the web is moving. However, as soon as the needles of the particular pattern 22 or 24 enter the surface of the web, the advancement of the webs stops as the needles continue their movement through the web and the web remains stationary until the needles of the particular pattern are withdrawn. After the needles of one of the patterns are withdrawn from the surface of the web and as the needles of the pattern are beginning to penetrate the opposite surface, the web will begin its advancement. When the web 10 again stops, needle penetration continues through the web.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the first few rows of needles 26 and 28 of upper and lower needle patterns 22 and 24 respectively pass through the curved inlet portions 36 and 38 of the guide plates 32 and 34. Some of these needles do not pass completely through the web as heretofore described but merely enter the web and compress the web in the tapering infeed portion 40 of throat 30. In other words, the needles in this forward portion are not entirely effective to cause interlacing and/or interlooping of the loosely matted fibers but they do compress the web to proper thickness and density for passage through the confined throat 30.

The contour of plates 32 and 34 is such that they conform to the web as it is compressed, i.e., they allow no up and down flapping motion of the web driving the needling process.

A flywheel 150 mounted on the shaft 136 provides sufiicient inertia to the drive mechanism of the apparatus once the apparatus is started so that it reduces the power necessary to drive the same. Any suitable braking means may be used to compensate for inertia of the flywheel and assist in stopping the apparatus after the motor 108 is shut off.

Throughout the specification, the novel fabric structure or material produced by the novel method and apparatus has been referred to as a needled or non-woven fabric structure. It will. be understood that the term needled or the term "non-woven" includes any fabric structure made primarily from a web or a batt of loosely matted fibers with or without a scrim.

While the objects and advantages of the method and apparatus of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished, it will be understood that the improved method and/or apparatus is subject to some changes and modifications without departing from the principles and scope of the invention involved. There fore, the terminology used in the specification is for the purpose of description and not limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A method of producing a needled fabric by needling a web of loosely matted fibers comprising the steps of: advancing the web in step-by-step motion through a confined throat, initially penetrating the web from one side thereof by causing a first pattern of needles to travel in a path substantially perpendicular to the surface of the web while the web is moving and further continuing penctra tion of the web by the first pattern of needles while the web is stationary to a point at least adjacent its other side, withdrawing the first pattern of needles while the web is stationary, and initially penetrating the web from the other side thereof by causing a second pattern of needles to travel in a path substantially perpendicular to the surface of the web while the web is moving and further continuing the penetration of the web by the second pattern of needles while the web is stationary to a point at least adjacent the opposite side.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second pattern of needles are caused to travel in a path with their needles aligned point on point.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein penetration of said first pattern of needles is effective to at least the surface opposite the surface of penetration of the same and wherein the penetration of the second pattern of needles is also effective to at least the surface opposite the surface of penetration.

4. A method of producing a needlcd material from a web of loosely matted fibers comprising the steps of: advancing the web in stephy-step motion between oppositely disposed patterns of needles, alternately penetrating the web by the oppositely disposed patterns of needles traveling in substantially mirror-image paths of one another in sequence with the step-by-step advancing of the web so that successive alternate penetrations engage fibers previously oriented by the oppositely-disposed pattern of needles of the immediately previous penetration to cause a chain entanglement of fibers into cohering relationship with each other from both sides of the material and so that the web is penetrated at least one thousand times/sq. inch upon one pass through the opposed patterns of needles.

5. The method defined in claim 4 including causing the substantially mirror-image paths of the opposed needle patterns to be such that needles of the respective patterns travel point-on-point throughout their entire movement.

6. The method defined in claim 4 including advancing the web approximately one-fortieth of an inch for succes' sive penetrations of the oppositely disposed patterns of needles.

7. The method defined in claim 4 including advancing the web a sufiicicnt distance for each penetrations of the patterns of needles whereby the number of penetrations of web per inch of width is equal to the number of penetrations of the web per inch of length.

8. The method defined in claim 4 including penetrating the web by each of the patterns of needles in a plurality of longitudinally spaced rows extending transversely of the web passing therebetween and transversely staggering the penetrating rows with respect to all other rows in the same pattern of needles.

9. The method defined in claim 4 including moving the patterns of needles perpendicular to the web and penetrating the surface of the web when the web is moving and continuing the penetration through the web while it is stationary.

10. The method defined in claim 8 including pcnctrating through the web to a distance no greater than onehalf of an inch out of the surface of the web opposite the surface of penetration.

11. A method of producing a needled fabric from a web of loosely matted fibers comprising the steps of: advancing the web in intermittent step-by-step motion through a confined throat having a thickness substantially equal to the desired thickness of the produced fabric; needling the web from opposite sides of the same while in the confined throat to orient fibers into a cohering relationship with each other, said needling being accomplished by initially penetrating one surface of the web while the web is advancing to orient at least some of the fibers adjacent the one surface of penetration substantially parallel to direction of web travel, continuing the penetration through the web when the web is stationary to orient some of the previously oriented surface fibers as well as unoriented fibers in the body of the Web substantially transverse to direction of web travel, then initially penetrating the other surface of the web while the web is advancing to orient at least some of the fibers adjacent the other surface of penetration substantially parallel to direction of web travel as well as reorient some of the previously transversely oriented fibers, and continuing this latter penetration through the web while the web is stationary to orient some of the previously oriented surface fibers adjacent the other surface of penetration as well as unoriented fibers in the body of the web substantially transverse to direction of web travel, and repeating the needling sequence as the web is advanced.

12. A method of producing a needled fabric by needling a web of loosely matter fibers with barbed needles comprising the steps of: penetrating the web alternately from opposite sides by needle patterns having needles moving in paths of travel which are mirror images of one another and each needle pattern capable of punching the web in a range of about 25 to about 50 individual punches for each widthwise inch of web, advancing the web in stepby-step increments in a relationship to the penetration by the needle patterns wherein each needle of a needle pattern punches the web in a range of about 6 to about 30 punches per linear inch of web.

13. The method of claim 11 including controlling the penetration of the needles through the web where the barb closest to the tip of each of the needles of each needle pattern passes through the web at least to the surface opposite the surface of penetration but no greater than onehalf inch out of the surface opposite the surface of penetration.

14. The method defined in claim 11 wherein penetration of the web begins while the web is moving and continues while the web is stationary.

15. The method of claim 11 including causing the needles of one pattern to travel in the mirror image paths with the needles of the other pattern so that the needles are aligned point on point.

16. A method of producing a needled fabric from a web of loosely matted fibers comprising the steps of: advancing the web in intermittent step-by-step increments through a confined throat, needling the web from opposite sides of the same while in the confined throat to orient the fibers into a chain of entanglement of fibers in cohering relationship with each other, accomplishing said needling by penetrating one surface of the web with a first needle pattern to orient some of the fibers therein, then penetrating the other surface of the web with a second needle pattern traveling in a substantially mirror image path of the path of the first needle pattern with the increment of advancement of the web being such that some of the previously oriented fibers in the web are reoriented and some other fibers are oriented and entangled therewith, and repeating the needling sequence and increment of advancement of the web to accomplish the chain of entanglement of fibers in cohering relationship with each other.

17. The method defined in claim 15 including causing the substantially mirror image paths of the needle patterns to be such that needles of the respective patterns travel point on point substantially perpendicular to the surface of the web.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein penetration of the web is begun by each of the needle patterns While the web is moving and is completed while the web is stationary.

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